The  role of  Universities in  the  future  of  Rotorcraft

Luigi  Vigevano
Aerospace Science   and  Technology  Dept.  -­ Politecnico  di  Milano

2nd International  Symposium   on  the  Rotary  Wing

A  Flexible Answer to  Complex Scenarios
 Outline

1. From  a  recent  past:  2012  CESMA   Symposium  

The  future  of  Rotary  Wing

2. Present  developments

3. Strategic  programs  in  the  U.S.  and  Europe

4. How  Universities  fit  this  scenario?

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015 2

 From  2012  CESMA  Symposium  on  Rotary  Wing

The  objectives  of  the  2012  seminar  are  still  valid:

● Examine  the  operational  use  of  rotary  wing  aircraft  

● Highlight  the  performance  requirements  for  future  rotary
wing  aircraft
● Identify  critical  technologies  which  need  to  be  developed  in
order  to  satisfy  such  requirements.

Some  conclusions  were  drawn  regarding:

● requirements
● configurations
● economic  scenario

● Reduced  military  helicopter  market,  while

the  civil  market  is  showing  some  signs  of
growth
● Reduced  funding  to  operate  military  forces:
“austerity”  climate 3
2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 From  2012  CESMA  Symposium  on  Rotary  Wing

Requirements: Configurations:

● Performance ● Helicopter
-­ increase  speed,  range,
● Compound
payload,  fuel  efficiency
helicopter
● Safety
● Tilt-­rotor
-­ increase  reliability,
survivability,  situation
awareness
-­ reduce  pilot  workload
-­ increase  DVE  capability
● Environment
-­ reduce  noise,  pollutant
emissions
● Operational  capability
-­ provide  seamless  &  quick
aircraft  integration
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Present  developments

● Sikorsky  X2/
S-­97  Raider  (225  kn)  

● Piasecki  X-­49A  Speedhawk

(178  kn)

● Airbus  Helicopters  X3

(255  kn)

● AgustaWestland    AW609  (330  kn)

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Present  developments:  Bluecopter  demonstrator

● Bluecopter     →  demonstrate  “green”  technologies  in  flight

● Objectives  :
■ Significant  reduction  in  CO2 emission  and  fuel  consumption  up  to  40%
■ Noise  reduction  of  around  10  EPNdB  below  ICAO  noise  certification  limits
■ Development  of  “transversal”  technologies  allowing  for  serial  applications  to
all  helicopter  classes

● New  blade  design ● New  Fenestron  design

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Present  developments:  Bluecopter  demonstrator

● Hub  and  fuselage  fairings

● Engine  power  management

● Achieved  results:
■ 13%  reduction  in  fuel  consumption  and  an  increase  of  10  Knots  in  maximum
forward  flight  speed
■ with  power  management  a  further  reduction  in  fuel  consumption  up  to  38%  
■ approximately  8  EPNdB  margin  to  the  ICAO  limits  →  best-­in-­world  acoustic
signature  for  approach  conditions
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Strategic  programs  in  the  U.S.  -­ JMR

Future  Vertical  Lift  (FVL)  program  → Joint  Multi-­Role  (JMR)  rotorcraft

● A  family  of  helicopters  for  the  United  States  Armed  Forces.

Variants  of  four  different  sizes  will  be  developed:
– light  /  medium  /  heavy  /  "ultra"

● Objective  vehicle  attributes:

– Scalable  common  core  architecture
– Integrated  aircraft  survivability
– Speed 170+  kts
– Range 424  km  (combat  radius)
– Performance  at  6,000  feet  and  95⁰F  (“6k/95”)
– Shipboard  Compatible
– Fuel  Efficient
– Commonality

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 JMR  program

● Phase  1  competition  (October  2013,  $  6.5  million  each)

Sikorsky-­Boeing  →  SB-­1  Defiant

Bell-­Lockheed  →  V-­280  Valor

AVX

Karem  →  TR36TD

● Downselection  (August  2014):  Sikorsky-­Boeing  &  Bell-­Lockheed  were  selected  to

build  a  technology  demonstration  aircraft  with  flight  tests  in  2017 9
2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 DARPA  VTOL  X-­plane

DARPA  VTOL  X-­plane:

● Objective:  to  fly  faster  than

conventional  rotorcraft
without  compromising
hovering  efficiency  or  range

● Unmanned prototypes

● Rotor  blown  wing (Sikorsky  and  

Lockheed  Martin)  → tailsitter

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 DARPA  VTOL  X-­plane

● LightningStrike
(Aurora  Flight  Sciences)

● TR36XP  tiltrotor
(Karem    Aircraft)

● PhantomSwift
(Boeing)
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Other  projects

● Other  Boeing’s  projects:

Unloaded  Lift  Offset  Rotor  – ULOR

(increased  range,  V  >  250  kn)

DARPA  Mission  Adaptive  Rotor

(smart  rotor)

DARPA  Disc  Rotor

(V  =  350  kn)
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Strategic  programs  in  Europe:  Clean  Sky  2

● Key  elements:
– IADP  (Innovative  Aircraft  Demonstration  Planforms)
→  Large  Passenger  Aircraft
→  Regional  Aircraft
→  Fast  Rotorcraft
– ITD  (Integrated  Technological  Demonstrator):  airframe,  engine,  systems

● Fast  Rotorcraft  IADP:

– Tilt-­Rotor  demonstrator
– Compound  demonstrator

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Clean  Sky  2:  Tilt-­Rotor  demonstrator

● Next  generation  because:

– new  architecture,  STOL  in  airplane  mode
– extended  range/payload  vs.  current  T/R
– forward  speed  close  to  turboprops
– design  tailored  to  various  operations
– competitive  cost  per  seat  mile
– mission  efficiency  and  productivity

● Based  on  AW  ERICA design  (NICETRIP  EU  project,  2007-­2014)

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Clean  Sky  2  -­ Compound  demonstrator:  LifeRCraft

● Features  and  capabilities:

– Fixed  wing  for  energy  efficient  lift
– Open  propellers  for  energy  efficient  propulsion
– Main  rotor  for  energy  efficient  VTOL
– Anti-­torque  &  yaw  control  with  propellers
– Variable  speed  rotor  and  props
– Typical  operational  speed  220  kts  (410  km/h)
– Fuel/CO2 per  km  →  20  to  30%  less  than  Y2010  helicopter

● Based  on  AH  X3 design

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 The  role  of  University

● Which  role  the  Universities  may  have  in  this  scenario?

● Education

-­ At  DAER/PoliMI we started a  Master  Level  program in  Aeronautical

Engineering with  specialization in  Rotary  Wing Aircraft  

First  Year: Second   Year:

AERODYNAMICS  OF  HELICOPTERS ROTORCRAFT  DESIGN
AEROSPACE  STRUCTURES MODELING  AND  SIMULATION  
FLIGHT  DYNAMICS OF  AEROSPACE  SYSTEMS
DYNAMICS  AND  CONTROL  OF  AEROSPACE   EXPERIMENTAL  TECHNIQUES
STRUCTURES  AND  FUNDAMENTALS  OF ESTIMATION  IN  AEROSPACE
AEROELASTICITY MECHANICAL  SYSTEMS  RELIABILITY
COMPRESSIBLE  FLUID  DYNAMICS DYNAMICS  AND  AEROELASTICITY  OF
FUNDAMENTALS  OF  THERMOCHEMICAL  PROPULSION ROTORS
NON-­LINEAR  ANALYSIS  OF  AEROSPACE  STRUCTURES ON  BOARD  SYSTEMS  &  INTEGRATION
HEAT  TRANSFER  AND  THERMAL  ANALYSIS
COMMUNICATIONS  SKILLS

● We  encourage  student  teams  to  participate  to  intern.  competitions

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Student  competitions

● 31th  AHS  Student  Design  Competition  (2013/14),  with  specifications

issued  by  AW similar  to  those  of  the  1st phase  of  DARPA  X-­Plane  design

● Graduate  competition  winner:  Georgia  Tech  XV-­58

● Third  place:  Rensselaer

Polytechnic  Institute
Emperor  

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 Student  competitions

● Second  place,  and  best  first  entry:  Politecnico  di  Milano  Compound  Tilt  Rotor

Take  off/ Transition  I                            Transition  II                      Transition  III                          Cruise

hover
Flaperons   to  reduce  
blockage  in  hover

Folding   blades

Tilting  nacelle  &

Outer  wing
Propellers 18
2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 The  role  of  University

● Research

-­ Strengthen multidisciplinary research

→ DAER  Rotorcraft Research Labs (RRL)  

Aerospace   Systems   &  Control  Lab  (ASCL)

Aerospace   MAterials  &   Fixed-­ and  Rotary-­wing  Aircraft  

TECHnology   Lab  (AMATECH) Multidisc.  Engng   (FRAMELab)

Crashworthiness   Lab   Rotorcraft  Aerodynamics  

(CrashLab) RRL
Lab  (RAL)

Structural  Integrity  Advanced  

Flight  Mechanics   &  Flight  
Materials  &  Structures   Lab  
Systems   (FMSLab)
(SIAMS)

Aeroelasticity   &  Vibroacoustics   Lab  (AVLab)

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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 20
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● AMATECH -­ Aerospace  MAterials  &  TECHnology  Lab

► Composite  Materials  (Structural  and  Bio-­based)

► Smart  Structures
-­ Health  Monitoring
-­ Actuation

► Morphing  Structures

► Self-­Healing  Materials

► Physical  tools  in  materials  science

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 21
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● ASCL -­ Aerospace  Systems  and  Control  Lab

► Identification  for  helicopter  flight  mechanics

► Active  control  of  vibrations  in  helicopters

► Rotorcraft  Flight  Control  System  (FCS)  design  

● AVLab – Aeroelasticity  and  Vibroacoustic  Lab

► Aeroelasticy  &  vibration  control

► Acoustics

► Active  control  of  structures

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015

 22
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● CrashLab  -­ Crashworthiness  laboratory

► Cabin  safety

► Bird  impacts      

► Material  and  component   ► Ditching  and  fuel  tank  safety

characterisation

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015

 23
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● FMSLab  -­ Flight  Mechanics  &  Flight  Systems

► System  Identification  and  Trajectory

Optimization  Program

► Rotorcraft  kinematic,  dynamic  and  

aeroelastic  analysis

► Rotorcraft  UAVs

► Hybrid-­electric  aircraft  design

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015

 24
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● FRAME – Fixed  and  Rotary-­wing  Aircraft  Multidisciplinary

Engineering    Lab

► Tiltorotor  aeromechanics

► Rotorcraft  
Pilot  Couplings

► Aeroservoleasticity  with  CFD

► Ice  accretion  

► Robust  shape  optimization  for  rotorcraft  

and  morphing  airfoils
2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 25
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● RAL -­ Rotorcraft  Aerodynamics  Lab

► CFD  for  rotorcraft  aerodynamics

► Model  rotor  tests

► Dynamic  stall  &  Gurney  flap

► Tilt-­rotor  aerodynamics  

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015

 26
DAER  Rotorcraft  Research  Labs  

● SIAMS:  Structural  Integrity  of  Advanced  Materials  &  Structures  Lab

► Development  of  constitutive  law  

► Damage  tolerance  of

composite  elements

► Delamination

► Multi-­scale  approaches  to

ceramic  matrix  composites

2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015

 The  role  of  University:  recommendations

● How  University  Education  &  Research  can  be  effective  for  the
rotorcraft  world?

● Several  aspects  that  hamper  this  effectiveness:

-­ present  EU  policy  of  research  funding
-­ shortage  of  National  funding,  both  from  Industry and  
Public  Administration
-­ lack  of  National  strategic  programs

● Policies  of  mutual  collaboration:

-­ increase  National  cooperation  to  put  forward  EU  funded
project  proposals
-­ promote  a  culture  of  research  within  the  Industrial  Partners
-­ carefully  select  the  research  subjects  to  be  pursued  
→  to  be  balanced  among  different  TRLs
-­ make  effective  use  of  “small  amounts”  of  funding
→  as  an  example,  sponsor  PhD  scholarships  on  dedicated
projects
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015
 End

Thank  you  for  your  attention

Questions  ?

http://www.aero.polimi.it
luigi.vigevano@polimi.it
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2nd International  Symposium  on  the  Rotary  Wing  – 19/11/2015